Bean cutter



G. LAN G BEAN CUTTER Nov. 18, 1930.

Filed Jan. 21. 192e v2 sheets-sheet -1 MN NN INVENTQR ATTO R N EY G. LANG BEAN CUTTER Nov. 18, 1930.

Filed Jan'. 21, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR RNEY u mE /rf G.Lan

BY Q55 Patented Nov. i930 i Y eingehen meanmary 21,'1928s'seria;-1c92aazzeoli Y s This'invention relates to machines for cutting bean vines and the'likeftoenable them after being fout tobeplacedin windrows onv the ground forthreshing purposes.

inexpensive nature and lis of thattype which is arranged to :engage and cut through the roots of two rows ofv-ines at VA'a time. @The principal objects of my invention are toproy I6 vide such machine with meansforcausnzgxV thecutting bladesto be heldin-proper positionrelative to the ground-during the cutting operations; `for raising theblades and iside runners to- Whichthey are connected afcon'- siderable distance from theground for transportation; for rendering'the blades readily accessible without removing the same'sothat they may be easily sharpened when necessary; for causing the'machine to steer easily gb .alongthe field; for enabling the spacebe'- tween the supporting `wheelsand blades toindependently adjusted to suit the dierent spacing between rows of vines; and to ar# range the machine as a whole so that there is nothing tol catch or holdthe K4vines after they are cut and cause them'to be dragged along Wahine machine. v r -v 1 f Y,

The machine of the presentinvention also has Vvarious features in common'with the machine shown in my subsequently filedcopen'ding application, Serial No. 127,499 `iled February 11, 1930. --These objects `I accomplish byvmeanslof suchV structure l and relative "arrangement of i 35 parts as will fully appear'by'a perusal of the following specification and'claims. In the drawingssimilar characters of ref-l` erence indicate corresponding parts inthe several views:

Fig. l is a side elevation o-my .improved bean cutter. v

Fig. 2 is a top plan vlew ofthe same.

Fig. 3 isa fragmentary end elevation showl ing the adjustable tion. Y A Y Fig.` 4 isfa fragmentary cross section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.7 Y j I Fig. 5 is a Vperspective View of a guard member,`detached. l l y '.Referring `now-more particularly tothe runner support construe# characters of'reference on the drawings-,fthe

numeralil denotes a pair'of longitudinalan'd bottom and facing. eachother tofforma 4- angles; thexbeam projecting-aheadfof. theV anglesfsome dist'ancebutr terminatinfgvshort closely-spaced membersfpreferably 4angle A jironsset with theirhorzontal V'sides 'on .the The machi Ve is `of an extremely simple/and of their rearv ends.. The beamg-is rigidly bolted on to a pair..of-:longitudinally spaced and .transversely "extending framev beams 3 which are also preferably of' angle form.' n

'Horizontal side bars 4 arefsuperilnposed onl and rigidly secured to '.thezbeams `Stoward the outer ends ofthe,latter,.saidbars'4 'coni-j i verging at .their lforward ends-to rigid con nections *withvme'mbers --1 1at;-their forward i l* ends; f The above describedparts form `a rigid j frame unit.

- Depending :fromthefjbeams 3f adjacent their `ends y'are vertical arms' Q5 whose upper endsa'regbent to form horizontal extensions 6 ywhich slidably engage` the. under ffacesof f the beams Saidb'eams. areiprovided with a series oflongitudinally spaced holes Y7 through which detachable bolts 8,-pass,to con,-

neet the members. =6';and 13 `together for yadjustment transversely ofifthe. machine'. The

arms 5. on each side are braced'by diagonally extending` rod: l element "i9 *having* a V.turni-,l buckle '10 interposed therein; v

'Bolted tothe 4lowerr'ends of Vthe r. arms vertically disposed wooden runners. 11, which areparallel to each other..V The forward por.` tions of .these runners ride adjacentjthe ground when the machine is in operation, but their rear portions are cut away :from the bottom upL as shown at lla'.V Horizontal blades lsharpened along theirA forward edgesaresecured to the runners ahead of the cut-away portionl and extend thence rear; wardly in converging relation to` adjacent the plane of the'rear endsof the runners as shown in Fig. 2. 4These' blades lie in about the sameY horizontal plane asthe bottom of the runners at their :forward ends. 1

Thelground engaging portion oi eachlrunner is sheathed-#with opposedk angle-plates distance, as shown in Fig. l. A cross pin 13l plates-12 just ahead of the runner, said strap extending up the forward edge of the runner and then back along the top of the same some is placed through Vthe sides of the irons 12 aheadwof the runner, and serves as a hanger for the lower end of a long bolt14, whose upper end projects through-a bracket '3a.V mounted on the adjacent frame` beam v3 and j has a nut 14a thereon above the bracket. This bolt is set at a'suitable rearward slant. A

' tubular roller 15 isplaced about the bolt,

being turnably mounted in concentric relation theretoV by `meansof end Vbearing-discs 15% VThe lower discl is held in spaced rela--A tion to the cross pin 13 by a sleeve 16. The r toKV :forni f arms; ,22 from the lower ends kof outwardly; *1

forward edgeofthe runner is parallel tothe roller, and -a suicient distance behind the same. to prevent any vines beingl wedgedv therebetween; The suspension of the roller from ythe cross pin 13 alsoprovides a space which prevents anything` from wedging under the roller andpreventing the free turning ofthe saine. To provide additional protection for the lower end ofthe roller,.a guard platel', havinga greater slant than the roller, extends ahead of the saine and across the space between the members 12, beingY rigidly welded or otherwise secured thereto. At its `rear ends, the plate isi provided with rear wardly extending straps'18, which areJK se.-v

cured to the sides of the runner `11 above the irons `12.

The rollers'are for vthe purpose of dividing'or separating the vusually tangled massv of vines; the freely turnable mounting of theserollers enablingthis separation to be attained without actually pulling up the; vines and also without undueY resistance tothe forward movement ofthe machine. 'Beingset ata rearward slope toward their upper ends, said rollers also function easier than if they werel straight, since theyl engage'` theY vines with'a shearing and upwardly lifting action and thus spread tlievines Voutvso that they are relatively thin instead of engaging them with a direct forward push which would `more likely tend to cause the vines to be even more firmly compressed andmatted together than originally. Y 'f The lower end of the plate is formed with a tip 17a which digs into the ground when the machine is in operation, so as tooifset the tendency of the runner to lift from the ground, and cause the blades to remain ingaging tip 17a will not impart any directV pressure to the runner tending to cause the `same to split as is usually the case.

Transversely spaced bearing units are fixed on the frames 4. Each bearing unitcomprises a pair of transversely ,separated members 19 and 19a.; a transverse sleeve 2O being fixed` to and extending between the inner members 19a ofthesebearings. Independentshafts 21 are slidably mounted in the sleeve and project beyond the outer ends of the same and also vbeyond the outer bearing members 19. Each bearing unit comprising a pair of transversely separated members as above stated,

the adjacent portionl of the corresponding` shaft 21 is exposed therebetween.y A collar 21ais adjustably fixed on' eachshaft between thegbearingmembersso that said shafts are normally prevented from sliding movement. The outer ends of the shafts are bent down which' @spindles f 23 project Ground engaging wheels 24 are turnable on these spindles, the diameter of these wheels being such tliatwhen thefforwa'rd ends of the runners ride on the ground, the arms 22 have ae-considerable downward slantftoj'the rear as'. shown in- AFig.1.. The wheels; have, av

slight toe=in toward the -front to facilitate steering and to insure a straight' movement of the machine along theground. VThe arms22 aremoved forwardly and toa Vvertical position-'so as to cause the 'runners and frame to ybe raised a certain distance, by

means of horizontalglinkst25.which are con# nected at one end tothe wheel spindles and at theuotlier end to the "lower ends of arms .26

whichare substantially'parallel to the arms 22. The upper ends of the arms 26 are connected to vrods 27 whicliare slidablebut non- Y turna'bleinfa sleeve 28 j ournaled on the frame members 4.5 This sleeve isconnectedto a rearwardly projecting lever 29, which has; a laterally projecting handle 30 anda pawland rachet mechanism V3.1 of common character associated therewith and controllable from thev handle to enable the lever,x to be set and held in any desiredV position.v l 4V-Apair of transverse longi bolts32 are ,mounted in the members` 1 rear* wardly of tlietongue.` The rearmostbolt forms tliepivot fora pair ofrearwardly extendingfbars which at their rear ends support .the operators seat 34. The foremost bolt prevents the downward movement of the seat bars below a. horizontal plane while offering no interference to the upward and forwardswinging of the seat as shownin dotted lines in Fig. 1. The laterally projecting Vhandle Von thelever enables the lsaine to be conveniently operated from the seat and the swinging forward of ythe latter renders Vthe blades more accessible'from .tlie rear than .would otherwise be the case.

- The runners 11 have the usual deflecting rods 35 projecting upwardly and inwardly tudinally from their inner faces, these frods being braced from'the runners adjacent the rea-r ends of the latter by transverse boltsl 36V which also serve as foot supports for theoccu-k pant of the seat. l The lateral adjustment of the frame 1 which may be accompanied by but which is independent of the corresponding movement of the wheels enables the spacing of the f wheels and runners to be adjusted according to the spacing of the rows of vines-either` vconsiderable height vfrom the ground, 'there is nothing in the area included between the frames, theside runners and the ground to interfere with the free passage of the vines therebetween. There is, therefore, no danger of any vines being caught byl any'part ,of the machine and dragged along.

From the foregoing description it will be. readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of l the device, still in practice such deviations from suoli detail may be resorted to as donot l form a departure from the spiritof the in-` vention, asdeiined by the appended claims.

.Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a bean cutter, a frame, side runnersv i Vbelow and supported from the frame, side plates connected to and extending ahead of each runner, a cross pin between said plates, a bolt attached to and projecting upwardly from the pin, connecting means between the frame andthe upper end of the bolt to enable` the same to be maintained Yunder'tension, and. anV element to engage the ground secured to fulfills the obj ectsof the l' plate extending between the side lates in frontof theroller and projecting from the roller to the ground with a forward and downward slant. p l

4. Inia beancutter, a horizontal frame,

side runnersbelow the same, vertical mem#` bers between and connecting the runners and y l frame, tips at the forward end of the Vrunners to dig into the ground, side plates connectf ing the tips to the runners, and tensionmembers between said 'the'frame w I Y 5. VIn, a bean cutter, a horizontal frame plates adjacent thetips and j 75, r i

structure, tranve-rse shafts slidably supportyed from the frame, arms depending. from the outer endsV of the shafts, wheels supported by the farms,a transversesleeve turnable on the frame," `rods z slidably vbut 'non-turnably mounted'in the sleeve, means for rotating' the sleeve, .and connections between the rods and arms for causing the latterto be swung about the shafts as kan axis with the rotation of the sleeve. v Y f 6. In a bean cutter, a frame, side runners below and supported from the frame, ground engaging tips'on .the forward ends of the runners, tension rods secured to and depend` ing from the fra-me, means securing the lowerV ends of the rods in rigid connection with the tips, and rollers disposedlabout the rods.

In testimony whereof I aiiix mysignature.

GREGORY LANG.'

and'. depending Vfromvthe forward end of the i plates.

2. In a bean cutter, a frameside runners below and supported Vfrom theframe, side plates connected to and extending ahead of each runner, a cross pin between said plates, a bolt attached to and projecting upwardly Vfrom the pin, connecting means between the frame and the upper end ofthe bolt to hold the same stationary, a roller turnable on the bolt, and means holding the lower end of the roller spaced from the cross pin.

3. A structure as in claim 2, with ap'guard 

